


Other Matters

by GAvillain



Category: Sleeping Beauty (1959)
Genre: Abandonment Issues, Gen, Heartbreak, Imprisonment, date
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-19
Updated: 2019-11-19
Packaged: 2021-02-13 10:03:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21492526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GAvillain/pseuds/GAvillain
Summary: Maleficent prepares herself for an evening of romance, but things don't exactly go the way she plans.
Relationships: Maleficent/OC, past Maleficent/Yen Sid (mentioned)
Kudos: 3





	Other Matters

Maleficent tightened the lace on the bodice of her dress and straightened her headdress into the exact position that made her appear the most beautiful and intimidating. As she primped in front of her mirror, she could hardly suppress a smile. She was the cheeriest she'd been in ages, and the goblins were incredibly suspicious, dreading the return of the wrathful evil fairy they all knew and feared.

"Breakfast is served in the morning room, Mistress," one of her goblin minions informed her as he entered her chambers.

Maleficent nodded. "Very well, then. Thank you, my dear. I shall be down in a moment."

The goblin scrunched his nose in confusion and disgust. Maleficent never called any of them "dear." He figured that she must be really and truly quite ill to use such a term. Maleficent didn't seem to notice his confusion. She just kept smiling in the mirror. The sound of fluttering wings alerted her to the return of her faithful raven Diablo from his morning patrol.

"Ah, my pet, you are just in time for breakfast," Maleficent said as she beckoned for him to follow her to the morning room. "Come. We mustn't allow the meal to grow cold. The goblins worked tirelessly to prepare it."

Diablo landed on Maleficent's shoulder and right away realized that something was horribly wrong. The goblins were always expected to keep her breakfast warm on pain of a thunderbolt to the chest. Her being considerate towards the servants was a foreign concept in the Forbidden Mountains. Diablo cawed to ask Maleficent if anything was the matter.

She paused a moment before answering. "I suppose it will do no harm for me to tell you. Last night, I enjoyed quite a pleasant evening with Lord Astor of the Southern kingdom. He is quite a charming and handsome man, you know, and, more importantly, his heart is almost as black as mine. We enjoyed long hours discussing ways to destroy King Stefan's pathetic kingdom together."

Diablo tilted his head and cawed once more.

Maleficent's eyes flashed with rage. "I will _not_ have you thinking me to be some lovesick fool! I simply enjoy his company. And do I not deserve such companionship after...."

Bitter memories flashed in Maleficent's mind of the bearded sorcerer dressed in blue robes and a conical hat adorned with stars and moons. Her history with love was not a happy one, and after Yen Sid forsook her, she'd sworn off all thoughts of romance. Yet perhaps she'd been too hasty in doing so. After all, perhaps it was simply a matter of finding someone who understood her need for cruelty and evil rather than trying to please a sanctimonious hero. Maleficent shook her head and pushed the memories away.

"Well, no matter," Maleficent said as she entered the morning room and took her seat. "The important thing is that Lord Astor is a fine match for the Mistress of All Evil."

The goblins brought out plates of cinnamon bread, eggs, and ham made from only the most ferocious wild boars. It was a fitting meal to begin the day, but Maleficent only nibbled. Her mind was, after all, elsewhere.

"I know!" she declared. "I shall have Lord Astor over to the Forbidden Mountains for dinner. It shall be a splendid evening!"

Maleficent ordered the goblins to bring her a quill and parchment, and she immediately began drafting her invitation to Lord Astor. She then tied the note to Diablo's leg with a silky purple ribbon.

"Deliver this message to Lord Astor at once!" Maleficent ordered, and Diablo nodded before taking off out the open window.

Maleficent smiled to herself in anticipation and straight away set the goblins to work cleaning, washing, and decorating the entire castle. It simply wouldn't do for Lord Astor to see the castle in disarray. Tonight was going to go absolutely perfect.

* * *

Maleficent fastened the collar of her nicest cloak and admired herself in the mirror. With golden scaled shoulder pads, black raven feathers coating the sleeves, a headdress that revealed her short hair underneath, and a corset that was a bit revealing yet tasteful, Maleficent knew she was a sight Lord Astor would fall to pieces over. The evil fairy strolled through the castle corridors, admiring the decorations that the goblins had put up. The ambiance was just right for an evening of romance between two black hearts.

Maleficent's heart leapt when she heard the flutter of raven wings overhead. She held out her hand to give Diablo a perch to land on.

"Is Lord Astor on his way?" Maleficent asked her faithful familiar.

Diablo cawed and held out his talon. A new note was attached to his leg, this one was tied in the red and black ribbon that Lord Astor used for all of his official correspondence. Maleficent removed the note, and Diablo quickly flew up to the rafters when she did. She unrolled the parchment and read the message over.

_Dear Maleficent,_

_Unfortunately, I am not available to attend your castle this evening. I have other matters which warrant my attention. Please accept my humblest apologies._

_~Lord Astor_

"_Matters?_" Maleficent spat. "What _matters_ could possibly be of greater concern than me?"

Somehow in all her planning, Maleficent had never even considered that Lord Astor might refuse her invitation. Such a thing was unthinkable to the evil fairy. She sneered and reduced Lord Astor's message to ash with a flicker of green fire.

"It is of no consequence to me," Maleficent said, though the rage in her voice told the goblins around her otherwise.

Finally, one brave goblin mustered the courage to speak. "Do you want us to remove the decorations?"

The barometric pressure in the air plummeted, and flickers of lightning began to flash outside. The goblins immediately began to run for cover. They knew what was coming.

"_IMBECILES!!!_" Maleficent shrieked.

The barrage of fire and lightning that Maleficent unleashed was unlike any the goblins had experienced in a long while. _This_ was the Maleficent that they knew and feared.

Maleficent panted and sighed as she calmed herself down. Tormenting the minions would only do so much for her. She needed to address the problem at its source....

* * *

The gates of the dungeon slammed shut, and the rattling of chains echoed off the damp stone walls as the prisoner struggled to break free.

"Comfortable, Lord Astor?" Maleficent asked with a smug grin as she admired her dungeon's newest occupant.

"Maleficent! What is the meaning of this?" Lord Astor barked angrily as he continued to struggle against the chains. "How dare you imprison me! My soldiers will not stand for this!"

"Your soldiers are dead," Maleficent said plainly. "Burned alive by a fearsome dragon. I granted them the mercy of a quick demise, a mercy you shall not share."

"I do not understand," Lord Astor said with a shake of his head. "Why have you betrayed me so?"

"I wished for you to be my guest this evening," Maleficent explained. "We were to enjoy an evening of romance. But since you so rudely denied my request, you shall be my prisoner instead."

"_That_ is what this is about?" Lord Astor asked, dumbfounded. "You're MAD!"

Maleficent smirked. "No, not mad. Simply... disappointed."

Maleficent turned around and began to walk towards the door.

"Maleficent! Wait!" Lord Astor called out. "Perhaps we can... discuss this. I have always felt that you were a true beauty."

Maleficent simply laughed at that. "You had your opportunity, and now it has passed. Do not grovel. It is most unbecoming for a man of your stature. Now then, I have other _matters_ with which to attend."

Maleficent exited the dungeons, grinning at the dulcet tones of Lord Astor's shouts and screams of protest. There would be other dalliances, and perhaps one day, she'd find a man worthy of her affections.


End file.
